The most important genus of grapevines for making wine is the Vitis vinifera. There are a large number of problems associated with the growing of such vines. In most vinyards around the world, where climate and soil are conducive to the growth of phylloxera, the Vitis vinifera vine is grafted to native or hybrid roots. Such grafting is the remedy for the disease phylloxera which destroyed most of the vinyards in France at the end of the 19th century. The grafted joint remains a source of problems such as physical damage, vulnerability to attack by pests, etc.
Another nemesis of Vitis vinifera is the daggar nematode which is a parasitic worm and which most commonly attacks the roots of the vine. Nematodes and phylloxera are considered the two most important animal parasites.
Vitis vinifera vines require fertilization in a controlled manner at certain times of the year. One solution has been to allow weeds to grow between the vines and thereby consume nitrogen during that part of the growing cycle where the vine should not receive nitrogen. This has been a hit or miss proposition with no degree of control.
Another problem with Vitis vinifera is a fungus known as black rot. One non-chemical solution proposed heretofore is to use large fans for ventilating the fruit and leaves on the vines. That solution is costly and is not practical.
Other problems exist which are not disease related. Blooms on the vine are initiated by the temperature of the soil. Most grapevines have roots which grow horizontally close to the surface and thereby are subject to surface drought conditions. Late spring frost often kills the blooms and destroys the entire crop.
The present invention is directed to a method of growing grapevines in a manner which overcomes the above and other problems.